MediDrink Plus is an FSMP intended for the nutritional management of disease-related malnutrition.
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The numerous beneficial effects of a high energy intake include preventing the breakdown of proteins and going against cata-
bolic metabolism. Read more
A high protein intake helps keep albumin levels up and lower immune suppression caused by therapy, amongst other benefits. Read more
Decreasing the level of acute phase proteins and inflammatory cytokines is only one of the num
ber of benefits a high Omega-3 intake brings. Read more
According to current research providing energy from non-carbohydrate sources may have an indirect antiproliferative effect in cancer. Read more
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High Omega-3 |
A minimum daily intake of 1.5 grams of omega-3 fatty acids for a prolonged time improved clinical, biological and functional abilities and lead to a higher quality of life in patients suffering from advanced cancer. 1
The polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids have also been clinically proven to be effective against tumour growth and in reducing the rate of the related tissue loss. 2
MediDrink Plus contains a high level of omega-3 fatty acids, 0.79 grams in 100 ml, thus contributing to your medical treatment in a number of ways.
Study:
The aim of the present study was to determine if a combination of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) with a conventional oral nutritional supplement
could produce weight gain in these patients.
Patients and Methods:
Twenty patients with unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma were asked to consume two cans of a fish oil-enriched nutritional supplement per
day in addition to their normal food intake. Each can contained 310 kcal, 16.1 g protein and 1.09 g EPA. Patients were assessed for weight, body composition, dietary intake, resting energy expenditure (REE) and performance status. Patients consumed a median of 1.9 cans/day. All patients were losing weight at baseline at a median rate of 2.9 kg/month.
Results:
After administration of the fish oil-enriched supplement, patients had significant weight-gain at both 3 weeks (median 1 kg, p=0.024) and 7 weeks (median 2 kg, p=0.033). Dietary intake increased significantly by almost 40 kcal/day (p=0.002). REE per kg body weight and per
kg lean body mass fell significantly. Performance status and appetite were significantly improved at 3 weeks.
Conclusions:
In contrast to previous studies of oral conventional nutritional supplements in weight-losing cancer patients, this study suggests that an
EPA-enriched supplement may reverse cachexia in advanced pancreatic cancer.
Study:
Patients with head and neck cancer undergoing surgery have a high risk of nutritional complications. This study investigated the influence of a hypercaloric and hyperproteic oral supplement enriched with ω-3 fatty acids and fiber on clinical parameters of head and neck tumor postsurgical ambulatory patients.
Patients and Methods:
A population of 37 ambulatory postsurgical patients with oral and laryngeal cancer was enrolled. At hospital discharge postsurgical head and neck cancer patients were asked to consume 2 units per day of a hypercaloric and hyperproteic oral supplement for a 12-week period.
Results:
A significant increase of albumin and transferrin levels was observed, in total group and in patients undergoing radiotherapy and without it. Patients without radiotherapy showed a significant improvement of BMI, weight, fat-free mass and fat mass.
Conclusions:
A hypercaloric, hyperproteic, ω-3 fatty acid-enriched oral nutritional supplement improved weight, BMI, fat-free mass and fat mass in ambulatory postoperative head and neck cancer patients who did not receive radiotherapy during the follow up.
Study:
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) modulation on systemic inflammation, reversal of muscle wasting, and functional status in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Patients and Methods:
Eighty patients with COPD stage II-IV received 9 g PUFA or placebo daily in a double-blind randomized fashion during an 8-week rehabilitation program. Body composition, functional capacity, and inflammatory markers were assessed at baseline and after 8 weeks.
Results:
Both groups had similar increases in body weight, fat-free mass, and muscle strength. The peak load of the incremental exercise test increased more in the PUFA group than in the placebo group (p=0.009) even after adjusting for fat-free mass. The duration of the constant work rate test
also increased more in patients receiving PUFA (p=0.023). Markers of systemic inflammation did not change after PUFA intervention.
Conclusions:
PUFA modulation in combination with rehabilitation enhances the increase in exercise capacity in COPD.
Study:
In this study, the authors hypothesized that nutritional support with ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)-rich diets may be useful for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The clinical features and inflammatory mediator levels were also compared between COPD patients who received an ω-3 PUFA-rich supplement and those who received a non-enriched supplement.
Patients and Methods:
Sixty-four COPD patients received 400 kilocalories per day of an ω-3 PUFA-rich supplement (ω-3 group) or an ω-3 PUFA-non-enriched supplement (ω-6 group) for 2 years. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) was used for ω-3 PUFA supplementation. The clinical features of these patients and the levels of inflammatory mediators were prospectively investigated.
Results:
In 6-min walk testing, the dyspnea Borg scale and decrease of arterial oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry significantly improved in the ω-3 group. Leukotriene B4 levels in serum and sputum and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-8 levels in sputum decreased significantly in the ω-3 group, while there was no significant change in the ω-6 group. Two patients in the ω-3 group and three patients in the ω-6 group had mild diarrhea, and three patients in the ω-3 group and three patients in the ω-6 group had nausea; however, their symptoms were controllable and they improved with treatment. With multiple regression analysis, it was proved that the ω-3 PUFA-rich diet significantly contributed to the change in cytokine levels in this study.
Conclusions:
The authors suggest nutritional support with an ω-3 PUFA-rich diet as a safe and practical method for treating COPD.
Study:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ingestion of fish oil ω-3-fatty acids, on inhibitors of leukotriene synthesis, in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.
Patients and Methods:
Eleven patients with ulcerative colitis of mild to moderate severity were studied in an 8-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of dietary supplementation with fish oil, which provided about 4.2 g of ω-3 fatty acids per day. A disease activity index based on patient symptoms
and sigmoidoscopic appearance was used to assess efficacy. Mucosal leukotriene B4 production was measured by radioimmunoassay.
Results:
Mean disease activity index declined 56% for patients receiving fish oil and 4% for patients on placebo (p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in histopathologic scores or colonic mucosal leukotriene B4 levels. All patients tolerated fish oil ingestion and showed no alteration in routine blood studies. No patient worsened; anti-inflammatory drugs could be reduced or eliminated in eight patients (72%) while receiving fish oil.
Conclusions:
Fish oil dietary supplementation resulted in clinical improvement of active mild to moderate ulcerative colitis but was not associated with significant reduction in mucosal leukotriene B4 production, compared with placebo therapy.
Study:
The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of a new fish-oil preparation in the maintenance of remission in patients with Crohn's disease who had a high risk of relapse.
Patients and Methods:
Seventy-eight patients with Crohn's disease who had a high risk of relapse were enrolled into a one-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The patients received either nine fish-oil capsules containing a total of 2.7 g ω-3 fatty acids or nine placebo capsules daily. A special coating protected the capsules against gastric acidity for at least 30 minutes.
Results:
Among the 39 patients in the fish-oil group, 11 (28%) had relapses, 4 dropped out because of diarrhea, and 1 withdrew for other reasons. In contrast, among the 39 patients in the placebo group, 27 (69%) had relapses, 1 dropped out because of diarrhea, and 1 withdrew for other reasons (difference in relapse rate p<0.001). After one year, 23 patients (59%) in the fish-oil group remained in remission, as compared with 10 (26%) in the placebo group (p=0.003). Logistic-regression analysis indicated that only fish oil administration, and not sex, age, previous surgery, duration of disease, or smoking status affected the likelihood of relapse (OR=4.2; 95% CI: 1.6-10.7).
Conclusions:
ω-3 fatty acid supplementation increases the length of remission in patients with Crohn's disease.
Study:
ω-3 fatty acids (i.e., docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]), similar to exercise, improve cognitive function, promote neuroplasticity, and protect against neurological lesion. This study investigated a possible synergistic action between DHA dietary supplementation and voluntary exercise on modulating synaptic plasticity and cognition.
Patients and Methods:
Rats received DHA dietary supplementation (1.25% DHA) with or without voluntary exercise for 12 days.
Results:
DHA-enriched diet significantly increased spatial learning ability, and these effects were enhanced by exercise.
Conclusions:
These results indicate that DHA diet enhances the effects of exercise on cognition and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-related synaptic plasticity, a capacity that may be used to promote mental health and reduce risk of neurological disorders.
Study:
The objective of the study was to examine whether fish consumption and intake of different types of ω-3 fatty acids protect against Alzheimer's disease.
Patients and Methods:
A total of 815 residents, aged 65 to 94 years, who were initially unaffected by Alzheimer's disease were enrolled into a prospective study of a stratified random sample from a geographically defined community, conducted from 1993 through 2000. Participants were followed up for an average of 3.9 years for the development of Alzheimer's disease. Incident Alzheimer's disease was diagnosed in a structured neurologic examination by means of standardized criteria.
Results:
Participants completed a dietary questionnaire on average 2.3 years before clinical evaluation of incident disease. A total of 131 sample participants developed Alzheimer's disease. Participants who consumed fish once per week or more had 60% less risk of Alzheimer's disease compared with those who rarely or never ate fish (relative risk 0.4; 95% confidence interval 0.2-0.9) in a model adjusted for age and other risk factors. Total intake of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease, as was intake of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3). Eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) was not associated with Alzheimer's disease. The associations remained unchanged with additional adjustments for intakes of other dietary fats and of vitamin E and for cardiovascular conditions.
Conclusions:
Dietary intake of ω-3 fatty acids and weekly consumption of fish may reduce the risk of incident Alzheimer's disease.
Study:
This study evaluated whether there is a relationship between consumption of fish (rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids) or meat (rich in saturated fatty acids) and risk of dementia.
Patients and Methods:
Frequency of consumption (daily, at least once a week but not every day, from time to time but not every week, never) of meat and fish or seafood of 1674 people aged 68 and over without dementia and living at home in 75 parishes in southwestern France was recorded. Participants were followed up for two, five, and seven years afterwards: 1416 (84.6%) had at least one follow up visit. All the participants who had lost three points or more on the mini-mental state examination since a previous visit or were suspected of having dementia according to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition, revised (DSM-III-R) were visited by a neurologist to confirm the diagnosis.
Results:
During the 7 years of follow up 170 new cases of dementia occurred, including 135 cases of Alzheimer's disease. There was a significant trend between increasing consumption of fish or seafood and decreasing incidence of dementia (p for trend=0.0091). No significant association between meat consumption and risk of dementia was found (p for trend=0.59).
Conclusions:
Elderly people who eat fish or seafood at least once a week are at lower risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. In addition to providing vascular protection, the ω-3 fatty acids contained in fish oils could reduce inflammation in the brain and may have a specific role in brain development and regeneration of nerve cells.
Study:
This study investigated the red cell membrane fatty acids and the effects of fish oil supplements on nutritional status and inflammatory markers in hemodialysis (HD) patients.
Patients and Methods:
Forty-two HD patients (mean age 55±8 years) were included. The control group consisted of 16 healthy subjects of age and sex similar to the tested group. HD patients were administered supplements with 2.4 g of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids per day for 2 months. Before and after supplementation, plasma lipids, cell membrane erythrocyte phospholipids content, serum albumin, hemoglobin, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were examined.
Results:
Baseline values in the tested group confirmed the presence of essential fatty acids deficiency. A statistically significant negative correlation between TNF-α and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (r=-0.497; p<0.05) and IL-6 and EPA (r=-468; p=0.03) was found in HD patients before supplementation. There was a significant increase in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), high density lipoprotein cholesterol, plasma albumin, and hemoglobin levels in HD patients after supplementation (p=0.0001). There was a significant increase in EPA after treatment (p=0.01), and there was a significant decrease in inflammatory markers (IL-6 and TNF-α) after supplementation in the tested group (p=0.0001).
Conclusions:
A dietary regime with fish oil could be used in dialysis patients to slow down the development of atherosclerosis and improve nutritional parameters.
